They've travelled from the gilded halls of Khazad-dûm to the bucolic surrounds of the Shire's hobbit-holes and onto the goblin-crept caverns of the Misty Mountains. Last night, finally, Bilbo and the company of dwarves arrived in the Bustling Square of Leicester to sip from the chalice of soft drink and delve into the pick 'n' mix of merriment for the UK royal premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.

Prince William was there to meet elf royalty, Queen Galadriel, aka Cate Blanchett, and the nearest thing the dwarves have to a monarch in the buffed shape of Richard Armitage and Thorin Oakenshield. That's Thorin son of Thráin, son of Thrór meeting William, son of Charles, son of Elizabeth. There's some lineage for you.

As you can see, Peter Jackson, Sir Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis were all present and correct on a night not even a wyrm's breath could warm. The Lord Of The Rings' hobbity duo Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd also popped up to take the trip up the green carpet.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is out now. For lots more on the return to Middle-earth, head over to our bumper Hobbit coverage.